The '235 Application disclosed an interactive television system that allows subscribers to perform a great many functions than those currently available by using their TV remote controls.
Interactive television is very attractive to cable service providers. Cable companies are in the process of adopting the “Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format” (EBIF) and the “Open Cable Application Platform” (OCAP). EBIF is a multimedia content format defined by a specification developed under the “OpenCable” project of CableLabs (Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.). The primary purpose of EBIF is to present to a television viewer one or more multimedia pages, similar to web pages, but specialized for use within an enhanced television or an interactive television system. Action sequences are executed as a result of firing certain predefined events, such as a page load event, a key press event, a click event, etc. These events are triggered by the viewer using the remote control. Execution of all events are serialized and controlled by event handlers. On the other hand, OCAP is an operating system layer designed for consumer electronics that connects to a television system. Unlike operating systems on a personal computer, the cable company controls what OCAP programs run on the consumer's television set. Also designed by CableLabs for the cable networks of North America, OCAP programs are intended for interactive services such as eCommerce, online banking, Electronic program guides, and digital video recording. The OCAP standard has not yet been approved by the FCC.
A Multiple System Operator (MSO) is an operator of multiple cable television systems. A cable system in the US, by FCC definition, is a facility serving a single community or a distinct governmental entity, each with its own franchise agreement with the cable company. Though in the strictest sense any cable company that serves multiple communities is thus an MSO, the term today is usually reserved for companies that own a very large number of cable systems.
The '235 Application disclosed an innovative suite of products and services bundled as Enhanced Television Service (ETS). ETS functions both on an EBIF and OCAP platform. ETS delivers a host of interactive functions specifically tailored to the broadcast program or commercials. The enhanced and empowered media is then transmitted to the MSO in any one of the many available formats for eventual transmission to the viewer. Invisible and unobtrusive until invoked by the viewer's existing remote control, the enhanced media suddenly reveals a wealth of onscreen information and choices. With no additional equipment installation or modification, the standard cable television remote control transforms the once passive viewer into a participant ordering information downloads, voting, responding and making instant purchases. The ETS handles all of these transactions from order processing to billing and fulfillment. By delivering a host of interactive functions, cable television operators empowered with the ETS solution can increase their competitive position while maximizing their networks financial potential. Through an intuitive portal application, advertisers are able to create and manage their own enhanced television events. They control the look, feel and exact moment the trigger is available to the viewer. Advertisers/Vendors can also upload products for sale or download and associate them with events described above. The portal also provides statistical data on the performance of events in a dashboard like manner. Also through an intuitive web portal subscribers can look at order history, wish lists, download items and purchase promotional products. This web portal resides in the MSO's web portal. Again, ETS handles all of these transactions from order processing to billing and fulfillment.
A TV viewer will hereinafter be referred to interchangeably as a subscriber or a viewer. Subscribers can interact with the broadcast program or commercial with the remote control. They can participate in the following transactions using the ETS system:
1—Purchase    By using the remote control, a subscriber can view the products on the panel of the TV and they are able to purchase that product.
2—Polling/Voting    By using the remote control, a subscriber can vote for a particular event that is shown on the TV.
3—Request/Download Information    By using the remote control, a subscriber can request any particular information. They can also request an information download of specific software.
4—View Transaction history    By using the remote control, a subscriber can view their past transaction history on the TV panel. These transactions can be a type of confirmed, unconfirmed and wish list items.
The ETS System provides the following features:                Subscriber is able to interact with the TV using the special remote control to request downloads, purchase products and vote.        Subscriber is able to view order history, download products and buy wish list items and promotional items using a web browser.        Administrator/Subscriber/Vendor is able to login into the system using a web browser.        Vendor is able to create their own events on the system and add products associated with those events.        Vendor is able to interpret the reporting details mentioned on the portal.        Vendor is also able to maintain and keep track of all the events they prepared and scheduled to run on the television.        Administrator is able to understand the transactions in the system.        Administrator has the ability to manipulate the orders using the provided portal and tools.        Administrators can update and maintain user data, product data and order data within the system.        
Typically, when viewer interaction is possible, an icon (called an iBug) will appear on the screen (usually in the lower right-hand corner). At that point, the viewer will be able to press a button on the remote control that would bring up a menu that is specific to the currently viewed channel. By contrast, the GUIDE button brings up a universal guide no matter what channel is being viewed.